Life at MAN - Anthony Johnson, Terminal Appearance Officer

As a Terminal Appearance Officer, Anthony Johnson’s job is to make sure Manchester Airport’s three terminals are looking their best, around the clock, 365 days a year, for the almost 30 million passengers who pass through the hub annually.

It’s a big responsibility, and in this edition of Life at MAN, Anthony explains how almost two decades of working at the airport in various roles have helped to equip him for the challenges he comes up against on a daily basis.

How long have you been working at the airport?

I started with MAG as a Customer Experience Ambassador in May 2005, so I’ve now been with the business for more than 18 years.  In 2011 I became a Customer Services Duty Manager and six years after that, I became a Terminal Appearance Officer, which is the role I’m still in today.

What does your job involve?

This is a tough question, because ensuring our terminals are in top condition is a big undertaking, and involves interfacing with various other parts of the business.

In a nutshell, though, my key responsibilities are overseeing the maintenance and cleaning regimes of the terminals, ensuring that any ongoing maintenance work is communicated to partners such as handling agents and airline staff, and planning ahead to make sure we are well-equipped to meet the challenges of the future. In April 2025, for example, our new T2 ‘super-terminal’ will be fully operational, and we need to be able to pick up the day-to-day maintenance of that facility from day one, which means having a plan in place.

Day-to-day, I could be dealing with a huge variety of situations, from health and safety issues to cleanliness inspections, identifying building faults and proactively arranging repairs, or ordering equipment for our customer service and security teams so that they can go about their jobs. I’m also involved in special events planning, for things like the arrivals and departures of major sports teams, inaugural flight celebrations, cruise ship collections, and in-terminal community events.

What skills are needed for the role?

The key skill for my job is adaptability – being able to adjust to any request made of the operation at any given time. There is no room for the “it’s not my job” mentality in this role. That might be as simple as offering guidance on who else should be asked for their expertise, but this helps keep projects and the operation moving in the right direction – so I’m required to have an overview of who does what, and that means good people skills are very important too.

What do you enjoy the most about working at the airport?

I would say it is helping passengers get the best out of their journeys. Airports are tightly-controlled environments, and passengers might find themselves feeling time-pressured, or might be unfamiliar with the rules they need to adhere to. I therefore have a very important role to play, creating an environment that helps them to feel comfortable and removes some of that stress.

The second key thing is the people I work with every day, who all dig in to ensure they deliver their best and give passengers the best experience they can.

Would you recommend a career at the airport?

Yes, I would recommend a career here at the airport and in particular, working for MAG. MAG has a diverse range of career options, and our staff are given every encouragement to progress within the business.

Which destination that we serve from Manchester do you most want to visit?

I would love to take a flight to Santander, to explore Spain’s north coast towns and villages, and to sample the best cafes and restaurants.

What do you like to do when you’re not at work?

I love to cook at home. I enjoy all kinds of cooking, whether that’s just the basics such as spaghetti Bolognese, or learning new recipes – I’ve recently been perfecting my Shanghai red braised pork.